Its principal opponent there remains Bob Reilly, D-Colonie, who sent the below letter last month raising concerns about fighters’ suffering concussions. (Here’s a file photo of Reilly, struggling to carry an obese turkey.)

While UFC officials and proponents argue that the type of head injuries suffered by MMA fighters are mild compared to the repeated hits to the head of other major sports including boxing and football, the evidence suggests otherwise. That is, powerful knockout blows, repeated head trauma and concussions have serious consequences on the long term health of athletes. A recent study by National Geographic documents the severity of the hits by MMA fighters which exceed all other sports. Additionally, as MMA is a relatively new phenomenon, there have been no real long term studies such as those conducted by the NFL to indicate the impact to the health of aging or retired fighters.

What does this mean for New York State? I believe in addition to the fact that the economic significance to the State of the legalization of MMA has been grossly overstated and that the violent nature of the sport is antithetical to the anti-violence message we are trying to deliver to children and adults, MMA would put New York State in a very precarious position. As fighters begin to retire and the impact of sustained head injuries comes to bear, I believe lawsuits similar to those now exploding in the NFL by retired players, are a very real possibility the State would have to address. Additionally, should MMA become legalized in New York State, we would have to examine the very real issue of the high cost of medical treatment and care for injured and debilitated fighters.

“With all due respect to the guy, he’s making excuses,” Jones, 24, told me last week. “There’s concussions in every sport. Boxing is legal in New York state. A guy can get a concussion, take a 10 count, then get back up and get another one. In UFC, we get knocked down, it’s over.”

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